The Chosen Mage
by Lady Arabian Knight
Summary: Paige of Crystalake is no ordinary girl. She has a rare gift that hasn't been heard of for over a century. With the help of her man at arms and new friend who happens to be the red haired purple eyed brother of a lady knight in training, she will overcome


~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
~*~King Roald, Queen Lianne, Myles of Olao, Alanna of Trebond, Duke Baird, Duke Roger, and Prince Jonathan are not my charactors. They belong to **Tamora Pierce**  
  
The story line and new characters are mine. Please read, enjoy and review!!!!  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~** The Chosen Mage ~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
It was after the last, long battle of the Great War, and one of the last lady knights of the realm of Tortall lay on a bed in a hospital. Sir Lady Bianca of Longlake had a major side wound and a great loss of blood. She had been the most powerful of all the lady knights. As a warrior and a mage she had greatly aided in the defeat of Tortalls greatest enemy. She woke slowly. Looking inside herself, she saw her life force slipping away. She new it would not be much longer and she would in the hands of the Dark God. Looking further, she found her gift, a pulsing red fountain of magic.  
  
Bianca knew that the time of freedom for women was quickly coming to an end. But she had a feeling that in the future, two girls would be born that would turn the tables of warfare forever. One would be a great warrior with powerful magic, chosen by the goddess. The other would be an unbeatable mage with a warrior's heart, her chosen. Bianca had one last thing left to do before she left the mortal lands. She chanted a spell to herself. A spell that would take her gift from her dying body and preserve it until her chosen was conceived and born. When the child is born, her gift will merge with the gift already burning. After completing the spell, she closed her eyes, and joined her fellow lady knights, in the realms of the dead.  
  
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
One Hundred Years later. During the reign of King Roald and Queen Lianne  
  
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
Sir Myles of Olao was shuffling through an old book that told the story of the great war. When lady knights fought along side their men counterparts. He was particularly drawn to the story of Sir Lady Bianca of Longlake. She was an amazing warrior and a great mage. Her gift was unlike any other. She could mimic or copy the gift of another mage and use it. All she had to do was meet, see the person, or sense that person's gift to be able to use the healing, war magic or shape changing the same as the original bearer of those gifts. Unfortunately, she never bore any children before she died and her special gift was lost forever. After the victory of the Great War and her death and death of the last of the lady knights, women were not allowed back into armed service. They were demoted down to bearing children, healing and caring for their fiefs. Myles knew that one-day women would be knights again. But no one, not knight nor mage, would ever have the gift that Lady Bianca had. Or so he thought.  
  
Later that year, a new boy arrived at the palace to train as a page. He had flaming red hair and piercing violet eyes. Alan of Trebond was small, but quickly proved that he could do everything that the larger boys could. When the sweating sickness hit the palace and the prince fell ill, Alan revealed he had the gift and was trained to heal. Getting permission from Duke Baird to try to heal the ailing prince, they tried all the natural remedies first. When they failed Alan had to use his gift to save the prince. While Alan joined hands with the prince, Myles heard a woman's voice call to the dying prince to come back. Afterwards, Myles had his suspicions about Alan's true identity but kept to himself.  
  
Years later, after Alan of Trebond had survived his Ordeal of Knighthood. He confronted their majesties and unveiled the plan the Duke of Conte had concocted to take the throne. In a fit of rage Duke Roger demanded his right to trial by combat. During the fight Roger had cut open Sir Alan's shirt and a corset that hid his secret. Alan of Trebond turned out to be Alanna of Trebond-the first Lady Knight in over one hundred years. She was a great warrior with a powerful gift.  
  
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
During the years of Alanna's training at court, another girl fought to keep her place with the men- Lady Paige of Crystalake.  
  
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
Waking before dawn, Paige of Crystalake waited for her bath to be prepared. She went over to her closet and pulled out a sword. Her man at arms, Ian Tubal, had secretly taught her some fighting arts. She unsheathed the sword and started to make a few passes to pass the time. She was starting on a high block when a knock came at the door. She ran over to her closet to put her sword back in hiding. "Who is it?" She called; a little nervousness in her voice. The voice at the door replied. "Milady, your bath is ready."  
  
Paige let a sigh of relief, thanking the goddess that is only her maid, Ymir, and not her mother or father. They would have had a cow if they saw her sweaty and worked up.  
  
Going over to her dresser, she pulled out the things she would wear down to eat breakfast. Walking to her bath she pulled off her sweaty clothes and eased into the hot water. She was pleased to find it scented with spiced vanilla. After soaping her hair and body, she dried off and put on a white shirt and blue breeches. Paige didn't bother combing out her hair. But her maid saw her and dragged her back into her room to untangle the mass of red brown locks.  
  
"Lady Paige, you are never going to find a proper husband if you can't keep your hair presentable." The maid told her.  
  
"Ymir, you should know that I don't want to marry and I don't plan to marry, anyone!" Paige growled. "I plan on doing something useful with myself and my unusually annoying gift. That doesn't leave room for anyone else."  
  
The maid rolled her eyes as she finished with Paige's stubborn curls. Ymir didn't notice Paige's attire till she was half-way out the door. About to turn around and make the girl change clothes, she remembered the last time she tried. Nothing she said would change the stubborn girl's mind about it. Shaking her head, she left the girl to finish getting dressed for breakfast.  
  
Paige walked the hall that lead to her fathers study, wondering why her da would need to see her. She reached the closed door and knocked. "Come in." Her father called from inside. Paige opened the door and entered. Her father was sitting behind a large oak desk. He looked up from his papers as she took a seat in front of the desk  
  
"I'm sure you're curious as to why I wanted to talk to you so early." He began. She was about to answer when he continued: "As you know, when a noble girl turns ten, she is sent to the Convent to learn to be a lady. Even the gifted girls go. But since your gift is so different and new, I wrote to the head of the Priests' Cloisters and explained to him about your gift. He replied that it would be a danger for you to go to the convent without complete control of your particular gift." He paused to catch his breath them continued, "So your mother and I have made arrangements for you to go to the City of the gods to get the proper training."  
  
Paige looked at her father with relief in her eyes. She had been dreading the day that she would have to go to the Convent and learn to be a lady. She basically had no choice but to do what she wanted to do: to train to be a mage maybe even a warrior mage one day. For the first time in her life, she was glad she had her gift.  
  
"So when do I go?" She asked as calmly as she could manage.  
  
Lord Andrew grinned at his daughters attempt to stay calm. He knew that Paige was not looking forward to the Convent. But he knew from the beginning that that was not her destination. Her gift was strong, powerful and unknown. Her ability to copy or mimic any mages gift was mind boggling. All she had to do was meet or see the person or feel that persons gift and she could do anything that that particular magic allowed. Around ungifted people, all she had was a minor gift for healing and light.  
  
He suddenly looked up realizing Paige had asked him a question. "Oh, the Chief of the Masters in the City of the Gods, Master Si-Cham is expecting us anytime. So when you want to go, we'll leave.  
  
Paige jumped up, ran over to her father and said: "How about after breakfast, if I wait any longer than that I'll burst!" Lord Andrew laughed at this and agreed that they would be able to leave after lunch. Paige left her fathers study and went to look for her family's Man at Arms, Ian Tubal.  
  
She found Ian in the armory cleaning his sword. "Ian, guess what?" She asked with excitement in her voice. He looked up from his sword and grinned at the girl. "And what is it that you are wanting me to guess, Milady?" He replied patiently.  
  
Paige told him of the discussion she had just had with her father. The more she said about it the more anxious she got. Ian started to chuckle at how much Paige was looking forward to this. "So when are you planning on leaving?" He asked  
  
"Father said we can leave after lunch." She continued. "I was wondering would you come with me to the Cloisters?, I don't know if they will teach me both the magic arts and the fighting arts." She stopped to breath and he continued for her. "So ye were wondering if I'd come with ye to keep up yer sword play?"  
  
She nodded vigorously, "Would you pleeeeassse." Ian hesitated for a moment, to make it look as though he would refuse. Then he looked at her and quietly said, "I would honored milady. It would get me out of this castle for awhile."  
  
He looked back at his sword for moment, then looked back at her, then said. "You'll have to keep quiet as to the real reason that I'm coming with you, else wise you father will ground both of us." They both chuckled at this, knowing proper ladies went no where near anything with a sharp end. Paige left Ian to finish up with his weapons as she found her way to dining hall. Which at that moment was not a hard task. All she had to do was follow her nose.  
  
She entered the large room and found that her mother and father were already there. Since she was the youngest of six children, it was only her and her parents and an occasional visitor at meal times. All her brothers and sisters were already at court.  
  
After breakfast, Paige made her way down to the practice court where she and Ian met for her daily lesson. She was already eager for the lessons. But today she wouldn't miss them for anything!!  
  
Paige was going to be warmed up and ready for anything that might happen on the road. She just hoped that no one had anymore than basic gift. For if they had something more, she didn't know if she would be able to close off her gift.  
  
It took four, uneventful days for Paige, her father and Ian to reach the main gate of the City of the Gods. Warrior Priests who manned the gates, showed them to the Mithran Cloisters.  
  
Passing the Convent of the Mother Goddess, Paige was once again glad she had an unknown gift. She had not been looking forward to spending six years learning how to sew, curtsy and flirt. Paige wanted to be something more than an ornament. She wanted to prove that woman were just as good as if not better than men.  
  
Paige's thoughts were interrupted as her gift convulsed. It sensed the magic, new and old, flowing through the city. It wanted to become all the magics at one time. Paige had expected and anticipated something like this might happen, but not like it did, not like this. Pain shot through her body as she struggled to contain her gift. Paige did all she could to stay on her horse as another bolt of pain seared through her. A green glitter settled over her, easing the pain before all went dark. She leaned over her horse's shoulder and fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**  
  
!~!~!~!~!~Please Review and tell me what you think!~!~!~!~!~  
  
~*~*~*~* Should I continue the Story ~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~** 


End file.
